Oil feeding and control tank for



Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL FEEDING ANDCONTROL TANK FOR DIESEL ENGINES Clemens A. Struve, Anson, Tex.Application March 10, 1934, Serial No. 714,981

1 Claim.

of an improved, economical and automatic means for feeding fuel oil tosuch engines or tanks.

More specificately my invention provides a novel, unique valve that canbe installed in a control tank, of very small dimensions, situated atany convenient position above ground for the positive control of theoverflow of oil, or other liquids, between a supply tank and an overflowtank, thereby eliminating the cost of a large, auxiliary undergroundtank to receive this overflow liquid, as, at present, must be provided.v

Another, and very important object of my invention, is to provide avalve that will cause a constant, never ceasing flow, or movement ofliquid between the supply tank the control tank and the overflow tank,thereby causing such liquid to become thoroughly mixed by constantagitation and movement. It is a well known fact that oil, for instance,contains a certain percentage of water which if allowed to gravitate andbecome separated from the oil, will cause trouble when it enters theengine in its natural state, but if thoroughly mixed, or combined, withthe oil will work perfectly, and, in fact, will be a benefit to theengine as a small amount of moisture is desirable.

With the above main and other minor yet important objects in view, myinvention will be readily understood from a perusal of the followingdetailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingforming a part of this specification, and in said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a control tank, in which my valveis installed, and connections between supply tank, overflow tank andoverflow pipe.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the mechanism carriedin the control tank, with its valves in one phase of return over-flowposition and main line feed position, the view being had on the line 2-2of Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the valvesand mechanism in another phase of return over-flow position, withover-flow decreased and feed increased, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of Figure 2, the view beingtaken on the line 4-4 thereof.

Proceeding in accordance with the drawing and wherein like parts bearlike indicating numerals and letters,and referring to Figure 1 I show atank 9 of small dimensions sufficiently large however to contain oil fora float I and which I 'term a control tank. This tank can be disposed inany convenient place and can be operated with oil or other liquids froma gravity flow tank of large dimensions above ground, or an undergroundtank by suction means, the oil entering the control tank by means of thepipe H. A pump, not shown, conveys the oil from pipe I I 10 into thebore through the valve l8, thence through pipe l2 through the pump to anoverflow tank not shown. The mechanism which constitutes my invention,in the control tank and which automatically controls the passage and 15'feed of oil or liquids to the overflow tank will now be described indetail.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, this control mechanism consistsof a metallic block M which is bored and threaded to receive a cap head0 I5. This block is also bored at I 6 and reduced at the lower end ofthe bore to form a seat or seats it for a ball valve or valves l8 andI9. These borings I6 have slotted openings in their walls for thedisposal of a cross bar 28, referred to later. These bores open into abore 20, previously referred to, also a bore 2!, made at right angles tothese passages at the lower end of the block, and have threaded thereinthe pipe II from an outside or extraneous source of oil supply. Thebores it also have open communication with a I pipe 22 through bore 2i,the latter pipe opening into the tank 9. Either one of the bores it mayhave connected thereto the pipe l2 leading to q the pump and the otherbore plugged as at 23. The control tank 9 has a cover 2t with openingsfor the pipes 8 and I2, the cover being in separable parts withupstanding and abutting flanges 25, embraced or straddled by a channelmember 25, as will be obvious. The cap head I5 is bored to receive asmall shaft 21 and rigidly set thereon is a cross bar 28 disposeddirectly over the ball valves l8 and I9 and limiting the movements ofthese valves as the float. I0 rises or falls accordingly as the level Lof the oil or liquid 0 changes. The small shaft 21 traverses a stuffingbox 28' in the cap head and a packing nut 29 and has rigidly connectedto its outer end a member 30, secured to which is a rod 3| carrying thefloat I 0. A set screw 32 enables the float to be adjusted to desiredposition. Similarly a cuif having a set screw 32 permits adjustment ofthe cross bar to the shaft 21. In the operation of my invention andreferring to Figure 3, the oil from an extraneous source of supply isdirected through the pipe ll into the bore 20, thence upwardly into thebore 16, lifting the ball valve I8 and passing into pipe l2 and is drawnby the pump through the pipe l2. This operation continues whether asuction or gravity feed supply is being utilized, the level of oil'inthe overflow tank being maintained. The oil or liquid being used fromthe overflow tank may not co-ordinate with the inflow, consequentlythere is almost always a fluctuating overflow into the control tank 9through the pipe 8.

Hence the valves I8 and I9 will open or close accordingly as theoverflow decreases or increases, there being (as shown by the arrows inthe drawing) always some oil passing from the control tank back to theoverflow tank and some oil being fed from the main line simultaneously.For instance, at one phase of delivery of the oil, the float I is at apoint where it tends to rotate the shaft 21 to the right in the drawing,Figure 3,

hence the cross bar bears against the ball I9 and almost causes thisvalve to make a seat, while the ball valve 18 is fully unseated to allowthe oil to pass upwardly. Now refer to Figure 2: when the overflow oilfrom the overflow tank has increased in the control tank through thepipe 8, it causes the float to rise to the level L of oil or liquid 0 inthis control tank. This causes the consequent rise of the float andsimultaneously rotates the shaft 21 to the left in Figure 2, brings thecross bar against the ball valve I8 and thus cuts off almost entirelythe flow of oil from the main supply source. The tilting of thecrossbar, however, releases the ball valve I9, unseats this valve andpermits the overflow or surplus oil to be drawn back into the overflowtank, and

the valve I8 is then almost closed. As the surplus oil is removed fromthe control tank gradually, the float likewise falls to a lower leveland the valve H! is gradually lowered to its former position, i. e., ofthat shown to the left in Figure 3.

It is highly improbable that either of these valves will ever beentirely closed, as the valve [9 will always be cracked just enough tokeep the oil in the control tank at a uniform level. The extent to whichthis valve is open will of course be determined by the quantity ofoverflow oil entering the control tank. This control tank 10 can beoperated as stated with gravity flow or suction flow and as explained isautomatic in operation and once set requires very little if anyattention.

While the disclosure shows a practical working embodiment of myinvention, it should be understood that changes and modifications may bemade, in keeping with the spirit and intent thereof and in the meaningof the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is:

A float valve mechanism adapted to be placed in a tank, and comprising avalve housing or block having bored cavities therethrough and whereinare carried ball valves, 2. cross bar associated'with said'valves, slotsin the walls of said bored cavities for movement of said cross bar withthe valves, a small shaft connected to said cross bar, a float in thetank to be sustained in floating position by liquid carried in the tank,

a rod connected to the float andtosaidsmallshaft, the rise and fall ofthe liquid in said tank actuating the float and correspondingly slightlyturning the shaft, thereby forcing one ball valve downwardly toward itsseat and releasing the other ball valve from its seat-accordingly as theliquid in said tank rises and falls.

CLEMENS A. STRUVE.

